


Knowing the Difference

by Ethanol



Series: μ's Love Dramatic [4]
Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Dating, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff and Humor, Romantic Comedy, a bruh moment, but not really
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:00:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24858028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ethanol/pseuds/Ethanol
Summary: A spur of the moment, an unexpected reply, and a series of interactions led Honoka confused about her feelings. Tsubasa turns out to be the same way, so there was only one option.We all make mistakes in the heat of passion. -Nozomi Tojo, probably
Relationships: Kira Tsubasa/Kousaka Honoka
Series: μ's Love Dramatic [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1711021
Comments: 22
Kudos: 35





	1. Shocking Proposition

**Author's Note:**

> hey demons whats up its me yo boy
> 
> im back with this bruh moment of a fic
> 
> do i know what im doing? who knows
> 
> the events of this work is set between and during the events of the first 3 works in this series. if you havent read those, i highly recommend you do i put a lot of soul into them

They kept each other's contact information solely for preparations during the Love Live preliminaries at first. It made sense for both idol group leaders to be in contact as they would share the same stage together. Eli insisted to share the work as to not abuse A-RISE's generosity. Such cooperation required both parties to call each other upon a moment's notice. There was even a group chat with both idol groups present. It was understandable, practical, and elicited no negative reaction.

After the preliminaries were over and both μ's and A-RISE got through, communications had slowly tuned down to a near non-existence. There had been no reason to, after all. They were closer rivals, and further personalization would had likely led to unneeded sentiment. In Nico's words: It was humanizing the enemy.

Though the two groups parted in good terms and newfound respect, μ's and A-RISE returned to focusing on their own practices. They could always check in on their rivals through the medium of social media. It was always good to know your rival's progress. Other than this however, there was no further close contact.

That was the case, until Honoka Kousaka was bored one night.

 **[** Honoka: Tsubasa-saaaaaaaaan! **]** With a few too many ‘a’ characters added on a completely random night, Honoka sent a message to A-RISE's leader, Tsubasa Kira. She was not expecting much, but a reply a mere four minutes later was not one of them.

 **[** Tsubasa: Kousaka-san, good evening. How have you been? **]** Her reply was simple, but it marked the beginning of an unlikely friendship with an individual Honoka was not all too sure she should have in the first place. Little technicalities never bothered the energetic ginger, however. So, with the night still young, began her equally energetic reply.

* * *

Honoka woke up later than usual the next day after texting long into the night with Tsubasa. After they had last talked in person during the preliminaries, there had been a lot to talk about. Uncaring to the late hours, they jumped from topic to topic, mainly catching up on their respective schools, idol group, and anything related to Love Live.

During lunch while Honoka stood in line to buy bread for the second time that day, she had not expected a text from Tsubasa so soon. Quickly checking her phone, she navigated easily to the messaging app.

 **[** Tsubasa: Are you free this weekend? I would like to catch up more in person. **]** Honoka hummed in thought, but mainly for a show to nobody. She had already made up her mind the moment she read the message. Remembering to move down the line, she typed her reply.

 **[** Honoka: Let's do it! There's a crepe shop that just opened that I want to try! **]**

She smiled at the screen before being abruptly returned to the world around her when she was next in line. Watching the bread fall into her hands also brought a smile to her face, but the anticipation for Tsubasa's reply strangely made her happier. Her phone buzzed on her way back to Umi and Kotori, and the ginger grabbed it in a flash.

 **[** Tsubasa: That sounds good. Does 10:00 sound okay to you? **]** Honoka nodded before sending an actual response in the form of an emote. She giggled, then continued on her way back to her friends, now excited for the week to end.

* * *

Sunlight filtered through her window; the memory fresh in her mind as she blinked into the waking world. Honoka sat up, yawning as she stretched. It was strange to remember their first weekend together. A month or so had passed since then, and herself and Tsubasa had gone out more whenever free time would present itself in their schedules. In the middle of school idol practices, their short dates were a reprieve from the stress one Honoka welcomed and was sure Tsubasa thought of in the same way.

She reached a hand to the nightstand for her phone. It became customary to greet her before getting ready, insisted after the occasions where she had accidentally overslept. Honoka thought herself to had matured as a person since and could manage her own hours without Yukiho having to barge inside to wake her up.

One glance at the phone sent the ginger straight out of the bed in a panic. Her words were a coarse yell, her throat still dry. "I overslept!"

Honoka stumbled to the clothes she had hanged on the wall in preparation, silently thanking her past self for being more responsible. Topless, she glanced once more to her phone. _10:15 A.M._ The ginger cursed herself for sleeping later than usual, but their conversation had been so engaging. Honoka dreaded the thought of the brunette upset at her tardiness.

With her top now worn, she inspected herself in the mirror, smoothing the flow of her skirt before running to fetch her purse. Amidst her hurry the door slid open, herself turned away from the noise. "Ah, Yukiho! Why didn't you wake me up?!" An unfair accusation, but she was running late. "Agh! I'm supposed to meet Tsubasa-san-"

"Fifteen minutes ago, that's right." Honoka whirred her head around when she recognized the voice. Standing by the doorway, Tsubasa flashed a tiny smirk, leaning herself against the frame. "Good morning, Kousaka-san." She greeted in between her laugh, amused at the look of shock.

"T-Tsubasa-san!" In her momentary freeze she nearly fell over, catching herself at the last minute as she made her way to grab her purse. "I'm sorry, I overslept!" With her task accomplished, the ginger jogged to the girl at her door, bowing herself in apology.

"No, it's fine, Kousaka-san." She said with a wave of her hand. "You're usually the first one there, though. So, I began to worry if something bad happened."

Honoka shook her head, raising back to meet her eyes. "I'm fine! I'm more surprised you didn't oversleep too, Tsubasa-san! We stayed up pretty late talking." She reasoned with an awkward smile, rubbing the back of her neck.

"I have something called an alarm, Kousaka-san." Tsubasa said, unable to suppress the sly smile on her face. In response the ginger huffed, stomping her foot theatrically.

"I set an alarm, too! It must've broken!" She defended. The brunette peered over her to the nightstand, seeing the alarm in question functioning without issue. Tsubasa looked back, quirking an eyebrow. "Well, you are a heavy sleeper."

"Geez!" Honoka pouted, but an excited grin broke out. "Let's get going! I'll make it up to you by making today tons of fun!" She took Tsubasa's hand, then all but ran out of her room with the brunette stumbling to catch up with her energy.

"Don't forget, Kousaka-san. It's your turn this week." Tsubasa reminded, managing to keep her footing whilst being dragged behind by her. From her words, Honoka grounded to a halt, humming to herself in loud thought before turning around to face her.

"What should we do today, Tsubasa-san?" She asked with an energetic smile only to receive a pointed finger right against the tip of her nose.

"Ah, that's cheating~" The brunette teased, retracting her finger away from a complaining Honoka. "You better decide quick, I'm quite interested to continue where we left off last night."

"Ooh, right!" Honoka nodded in an excitable agreement. She took off once more without warning, Tsubasa letting out an unceremonious yelp as she was once more dragged along by the ginger. Yet, she made no effort to go against her, only barely catching herself before falling into step with the girl in front of her. "There's a café Kotori-chan told me about near the station, let's go there!"

* * *

Relaxing from their short run from Homura to the whims of Honoka, Tsubasa quietly listened to the ginger sat across her, tea in hand with a pretty dessert at her front. The ginger busily talked, taking bites in between from a slice of cake. "Kotori-chan decided to write a love letter this time to her, but she said Umi-chan mistook them for song lyrics!" Talk was the kinder word to describe it. Complain? A more accurate description.

Tsubasa would speak between her pauses, not wanting to break the flow of her words. This time however, she was at a complete loss for words. She was sure that this extreme kind of denseness only existed in the romance fictions Anju would passionately discuss about. To hear of it in real life left the brunette more than shocked.

"I just want Umi-chan to realize sooner!" Honoka finished with a despaired tone, finding solace in the sweetness of her confection. Tsubasa smiled at the scene in front of her, but pitied the situation the ginger was in.

"Perhaps Sonoda-san is showing it in her own way. Love can come in many forms, after all." She said, sipping her tea as she looked at pools of crystal blue. Honoka mulled the words in her mind, the process transparent on her face.

Tsubasa was glad her words held some merit. She hadn't said it, but it was from her own experience in the past month of going out with Honoka to whatever they would agree to do. Though kept secret, she enjoyed the small rendezvous where she could relax. The brunette already harbored an interest in her, so to nurture that interest in a carefree environment was a situation she found no problem in.

But in that month, the interest had grown out into an affection Tsubasa had kept to herself since. It was too soon to call it anything extreme, so there was no reason to give it any deep thought and she had no intentions of letting it be known to the girl in front of her.

"Uh, Tsubasa-san?" She didn't know that Honoka held the exact same unknown feelings, but unlike the cool and reserved Tsubasa, she was more brazen with her thoughts. "Have you been having fun with me?"

The brunette nearly choked on her tea.

"I... Where is this coming from, Kousaka-san?" She recomposed herself, setting her cup down on the table waiting for her to continue.

"You look a bit uh, occupied? Since we went out last week. Is something wrong?" It was unlike Honoka to not be her usual cheery self, and if she had brought this topic up, then did Tsubasa accidentally show it on her face? She had tried to put it off whenever she was with Honoka, but perhaps the sight of the ginger would provoke her thoughts back to the forefront of her mind.

"I'm fine, Kousaka-san. On the contrary, I have been enjoying our time together." She reassured with a smile. Honoka perked up, finding her gaze as she let out a breath.

"Me too! Going out with you like this makes me happy, and I like you a lot too!" She slapped a hand over her mouth, cheeks flaring a sudden red. "W-wait, I don't mean it like-" Honoka could not finish her words before he brunette broke out into a gentle laughter, leaving her stunned at the unpredicted reaction.

"I'm sorry, please excuse me," Tsubasa said after calming down, a fist hovered over her lips. "I haven't been completely honest with you." She started, sorting out the words in her mind. She treaded lightly as Honoka was prone to misunderstanding. "I suppose I look occupied because I was thinking about something pretty hard."

"Something?" The ginger repeated, wearing an expression that urged her to continue.

"Yes. Specifically, I've been thinking about you, Kousaka-san."

Honoka shot a finger to herself, incredulous. "Me?! Did I do something to make you mad, Tsubasa-san?" She began to dread the possibilities, but Honoka should have known better that Tsubasa was patient enough to forgive her for being late this morning.

The brunette shook her head, causing her to relax somewhat. "You haven't done anything bad, don't worry." When she looked to make sure the ginger was listening, she continued. "You are an interesting person, Kousaka-san, and I want to know you more." Tsubasa knew she could not skirt around the topic forever, so she stopped, the silence growing heavy as she strung her words together.

"Kousaka-san, why did you decide to send me a message one month ago?" She asked, her voice clear. Honoka stared for a moment in silence, taken aback from the sudden question.

"I... I wanted to talk to you, Tsubasa-san! And... To be honest, I was feeling lonely that night..." Honoka trailed off, guilty from the lack of a substantial response. She knew better than to lie, but it was now difficult to meet her eyes.

"And are you satisfied with me?" The question did not feel right on her tongue, but she had wanted to cover all bases to clear the air. What air did she want to clear up? Even that was a confusion, but she wanted to know what Honoka felt towards all of this. Was all of their time together just a passing whim to satisfy her boredom? The thought did not sit well with her.

"I am!" Forest green widened at the sudden answer. In front of her, crystal blue reflected a conviction that tightened her chest. "Every moment we spend together is so much fun! I like that we have a lot to talk about, but..." Honoka paused, but before the brunette could speak, her words continued. "I have been thinking a lot about you too, Tsubasa-san."

She blinked, frozen in surprise. "I begin to look forward to us meeting like this, and when I think about you, I... I don't get it, but I end up thinking a lot!"

A warm heat rolled on Tsubasa's cheeks. Honoka's brows knitted together, unsure how to form her words. "I feel something, you know? But..." A small huff of laughter escaped her lips as the ginger trailed off. Their eyes met, the silence accentuating the breathy laugh.

"You're not sure what your feeling?" Tsubasa said, as if laying down the final piece of a puzzle Honoka could not solve. She gulped, nodding slowly, her questioned statement now a fact.

"I don't know what I should do." The ginger exhaled; eyes downcast to the table. "People go on romantic dates to figure things like this out, right? But that doesn't feel right..."

Tsubasa nodded, picking up her cup. The tea had gone warm. "I see what you mean. If you'll be honest, I'll be honest, too. I'm in the same boat as you, Kousaka-san." There was a scary, yet liberating feeling in telling the truth, and the slow smile that crept up her face made her decision worth it.

"Really?!" Honoka perked up, her voice a near stutter from surprise. The brunette hummed out to confirm, and she propped her head against a hand, delving in her thoughts. "What should we do then, Tsubasa-san?"

She remained silent, mulling the situation over. It was bizarre, to say the least, and it was a problem she had not faced before. A smile broke out on her face. She wanted to experience something new with Honoka, and this was most certainly new.

"Well, going back to what you said before..." The brunette trailed off, debating the decision in silence. Across her, Honoka raised a brow.

"What I said before?"

A lightbulb went off in Tsubasa's mind, and she shook her head at the ridiculous notion. However, it was with Honoka. Ridiculous seemed like just the right ingredient. "Why don't we do just that?"

"Huh?"

Tsubasa smiled. Interesting was a word soon to be an understatement. "Why don't we date?"

There was a silence after her words. Honoka's nearly slammed the table when her mind finally understood.

"What?!"


	2. Their Last Day as Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was unexpected, to be sure. Risky? Possibly. Something Tsubasa shouldn't have come up with? Definitely.
> 
> Yet, here they were.

Honoka was just about to explode until Tsubasa calmed her down, saying that there was more to her idea. After she made sure the establishment's staff would not kick them out for boisterous behavior, she relaxed in her seat, finishing her tea before looking up at the ginger.

"We won't be actually dating, since we're school idols." The brunette began, resting her elbows on the table. "We can go on pretend dates. See how it goes."

"Pretend dates?" Honoka repeated, her head askew in confusion. It was a term she had never heard of outside of the romance stories Kotori lent her. She even had a few of those in her own room. To hear them spoken aloud in real life was surreal to the say the least. "For how long, Tsubasa-san?" Yet, she was not against the idea.

Tsubasa shrugged, pursing her lips together in brief thought. "Until we both decide that something has happened, I guess?" She glanced down, hoping to find a better answer to give, sighing softly when she did not have one. "When you realize your feelings, I suppose."

Honoka hummed, crossing her arms over her chest. Pretend dates seemed a tad deceiving, but they had told no one that they had been seeing each other for the past month. Her eyes flickered to the brunette across the table, whose gaze looked to the window on her left. Honoka knew that she did not understand her feelings other than the fact that she had them. If not taken care of, she feared it could spiral out of control similar to a close friend's problems in love.

She dragged her hands along the edge of the table, meeting her thumbs in front of her. Honoka nodded, deciding that there was nothing to lose. "Let's do it!"

"...Wait, really?" Tsubasa snapped her gaze back to the ginger, surprised at her answer, and more surprised at the excited grin plastered across her face.

Honoka nodded, her smile growing brighter. "It will be fun! And we can hang out more, too!" The brunette blinked, completely baffled until she could only laugh. Curious crystal blue watched her until her laughter trailed off, watching her take a deep breath of composure.

"You never cease to surprise me, Kousaka-san." She shook her head, dropping her arms from the table before returning the bright smile. "Then, I hope you take care of me." She bowed her head, Honoka stuttered, suddenly embarrassed at the formality yet rushed to return the bow.

"U-uh, I'll be in your care too, Tsubasa-san." Slowly, they raised their heads to look at one another. Laughter filled the air, dispelling the second's formality. The idea was a spur of the moment that no one would have come up with, but it was their idea now.

"Well, shall we get going, Kousaka-san?"

* * *

They stopped at a park, five minutes of walking from the café. Small talk kept them busy with no mention of their agreement. So of course, Honoka had already forgotten.

"Ah, can we stay here for a while?" Tsubasa looked pointedly to a small space of benches, foliage, and streetlamps facing a bridge. Vending machines stood at a wall against a building nearby, and the place was deserted of people. Honoka looked between her and the empty seats before nodding.

"Sure! I'll go get drinks for us, Tsubasa-san!" She said with her usual cheer before bouncing off to the vending machine. The brunette could only sigh in awe at the seemingly endless ball of energy in front of her.

A ball of energy that she was now pretend dating. She felt a heat on her face as she moved to sit on a bench overlooking the bridge. Cars drove in the distance; traffic was a distant echo between high buildings. In the silence, her thoughts wandered on unsavory possibilities. What should they do if someone finds out? Even as friends, it could escalate to a sensationalized scandal between their two school idol groups. Was she willing to risk it all?

A cold sensation against her neck snapped the brunette from her thoughts. She let out a yelp, jumping back from the frigid touch. She looked up to find Honoka stood there, holding up two cans of drink. "You okay, Tsubasa-san? You were spacing out when I got back."

She rubbed the cold away, taking the drink offered to her with a small thanks. Her head swayed lazily, shaking her head. "I'm fine. Thank you, Kousaka-san." The ginger smiled, sitting down beside her to crack open her drink, she moved to do the same. The cold beverage was refreshing, but the delightful taste brought a fact to the forefront of her mind. Honoka remembered her favorite flavor.

"So, should we do anything else today?" Tired legs stretched forward, a satisfying hum leaving her lips. Honoka relaxed against the bench, staring off to nowhere in particular. Beside her, Tsubasa sat with a properness the ginger could only describe as 'Just like Umi-chan.' On their first few outings together, she suspected it to be that the brunette was uncomfortable around her, but after a month, she simply knew it to be that she liked to be proper.

Tsubasa moved the drink away from her, huffing a chilled breath before speaking. "We should end here today, don't you think?" She chanced a glance at the girl beside her, returning the curious look with a giggle. "Frankly, I'm excited for us to begin pretend-dating."

"Wha-?!" Honoka's jaw dropped before abruptly remembering their conversation in the café. She laughed off her forgetfulness, dispelling with a wide smile. "I-I'm excited too, Tsubasa-san!" Tsubasa saw the honest glint in her eyes. It was impossible not to smile around her.

"Good," she responded, sipping from her drink. "It's a rare opportunity to go out with the leader of the number one school idol group in Japan." She jested, suppressing her smirk. They were pretend dating, but the fact it was indeed a rare opportunity persisted. Honoka suspected her words were loaded more with just a simple joke.

"Muse won't lose to you, and we'll definitely win Love Live this year!" She proclaimed confidently, pumping her drink up in the air. Her eyes betrayed no one, she was completely serious. Seeing this, Tsubasa smiled, a near match to her radiance.

"We'll see about that." Her smug tone stayed, earning her a nudge from the ginger beside her.

"Geez, just you wait! Then it will be you who'll be going out with the leader of the number one school idol group in Japan!" Honoka jutted a finger at the brunette, her declaration of war clear. Tsubasa blinked at the tip of her digit, then moved. The hand wrapping around her finger was cold from the drink, but that was not the reason why Honoka suddenly stilled. She would never be sure what, however the forest green staring into her soul might be a cause for suspicion.

Her throat was dry, whatever else she had to say dying before it left her lips. Across her was a smirk of success, then Tsubasa gave her a push, losing her balance sitting on the bench. "We won't give up easily, Kousaka-san. But now I have Muse's darling leader distracted from her duties."

She stood up, finishing her drink before walking to throw it in the trash. Honoka scrambled to chase after her, pouting in mock anger. "Was that your true intention, Tsubasa-san? I can't believe I trusted you!"

A loud laugh escaped her. Unsuppressed, uninhibited. Honoka seemed to have that effect on her. "I'll do whatever it takes to win, Kousaka-san!" She spun around to meet her eyes, the uninhibition reaching her smile. A warmth grew in Honoka's chest. It was unknown, it was constricting, but most of all, it made her smile.

The walk home was filled with a similar feeling of warmth. Topics jumped; idle chatter filled the dimming streets. To her side, Tsubasa hummed peacefully, looking ahead with a passive smile. Pretending to date would be an experience foreign to her. Should she ask someone in μ's for advice?

Ginger hair swayed as she shook her head. No, she might get found out. It was not like they were actively keeping it a secret, but it was almost an unspoken thing to keep it between themselves. She mulled her options in silence but arrived at shallow conclusions. Among them all, asking Kotori to watch more romantic dramas was prominent. It helped to be informed, after all.

"So, next week will be our first date." Tsubasa broke the peaceful silence, her tone a contented hum. Calling it a date made Honoka's cheeks warm, but nonetheless she nodded, excited.

"R-right! It will be your turn to choose the place, too!" She threw her arms up in the air, resting them on her head. "I can't wait where you'll take us, Tsubasa-san!"

"Hmm... I reckon I'll have something figured out by next week." The brunette said, giving her a gentle bump on the side. "I just hope you can wake up early for it, Kousaka-san."

"Urk..." Honoka's steps staggered for a moment, looking off nervously. She silently knew that Tsubasa had not been over it. "I'll definitely make sure to wake up on time! I'll even set up two alarm clocks!" Overkill? Perhaps, but she wanted to give their upcoming first date a good impression. Showing up on time counted as a good impression, right?

"I wonder where, though?" She asked aloud, giving a sidelong glance at the ginger, who pouted defiantly in response.

"Ah! That's cheating, Tsubasa-san!"

She raised her hands up, admitting defeat. It was worth a shot. "You got me."

They both erupted into laughter, ending their last day as friends with smiles, excitement, and strange warmth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yooooooooooooooooooo
> 
> bit short update, doing the setup took a while to think about, but now it is set
> 
> its happy times ahead
> 
> trust me


	3. Assertiveness and Jewelry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Today is their first pretend date. What will happen between them?

Honoka stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the frills on her dress. She twirled, inspecting herself one more time before moving to the door. An excited announcement of her departure echoed through the shop, and she was off. She checked her phone. Plenty of time, even if she took a leisurely stroll. She swelled with pride for waking up early, and even getting ready with time to spare. Honoka huffed, thinking of the surprised look on Tsubasa's face.

She turned familiar corners to the busier parts of town. People walked in close proximity, making their daily commute. They agreed to meet at 10 A.M. Honoka looked to her phone. 9:30 A.M.

Showing up on time was a strange, but exciting feeling. She declared to herself to do it more often, though it meant she loss out on an hour of sleep. It did not help that she stayed up reading on how to act on dates. She reminded herself that they were pretend dates, but surely Tsubasa would appreciate the gesture if she took it seriously.

If she had to be truthful, she wanted to give this her all. For the sake of figuring out her feelings, as well as Tsubasa's.

"First one here-" She was about to announce to no one, but the sight of short brunette hair paired with a dainty smirk stopper her words. Sitting on a bench at their meeting spot, Tsubasa walked to her, giving a short wave.

"Good morning, Kousaka-san. I'm surprised to see you here so early," she greeted, but the look of shock on the ginger's face roused confusion. "Is... Something wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."

A sudden hand jutted to her. Honoka struggled to keep her voice down. "Why are you here so early?! I was supposed to be here first!" Her words, more of a whine, provoked momentary glances from passersby. They soon turned away.

"Isn't that good, though?" Tsubasa said, scratching her cheek. "It means we can enjoy more of our first date." She finished with a laugh, ignoring the pout from Honoka. "Sorry, I mean pretend date."

The mention of today brought an instant smile to her face. A thought struck her mind. Perhaps Tsubasa was so excited she woke up early? An unlikely theory, but one she would ask aloud. "Ah!" A hand to her palm, like a judge pounding their gavel moments before delivering a verdict. "You got so excited you got here as fast as you could, right?"

Tsubasa paused, coughing out a laugh, a hand waving the ginger's words to the breeze. "What am I, a child excited for their first field trip?" She giggled at the defeat on Honoka's face, giving a gentle pat on her hair before turning to a direction down the street. "We can chat more once we get to the place I have planned, Kousaka-san."

The frown flipped to an excited grin. It was anyone's wonder if she got emotional whiplash from how quickly Honoka can shift her mood. "Lead the way, Tsubasa-san!" The brunette nodded, starting down the street, Honoka by her side. She looked away for a short while, fighting down the blush surfacing on her cheeks. Tsubasa thought for a moment, then shook the theory away, figuring that it was just a lucky guess.

"So, where is this place you got planned?" Honoka peered to look at her, a grin plastered on her face. "I hope nowhere too fancy, I might feel a bit underdressed," she nervously laughed, peering down to inspect her dress for the umpteenth time.

Tsubasa shook her head, dispelling the growing look of worry on her face. She chanced a look back at Honoka, hoping the red had subsided. "Don't worry, nothing like that." She swallowed. Was it too soon? The tips she tried to memorize in those guides were quickly fading from her mind. "And... You look cute in that outfit, Kousaka-san. It suits you."

"R-Really?" A sudden gaze. Red blossomed on Honoka's face, her words escaping in sudden stutters. "Aha... I had Kotori-chan's help! I was worried it might be too much, but I'm glad you like it!"

They feel into a silence as they walked. Crystal blue darted between the sidewalk and the girl beside her. She remembered a snippet from her late-night readings and thought to give it a go. "I think what you're wearing is cute too, Tsubasa-san!"

The brunette turned to look at her, quirking an eyebrow her way, then down at herself. "Oh?" She hummed thoughtfully before rolling a shrug. "Why, thank you, Kousaka-san. It's not my most flattering outfit, but I wanted to stay simple." A black skirt, long sleeves, and a plaid shirt tied at her waist. Her hair was too short to style, but she liked it that way. Beside her, Honoka chewed her lip, debating internally before she spoke.

"It... It's cute because you're wearing it, Tsubasa-san!" The brunette blinked, her feet slowed to a stop. She felt heat on her face. The sun still sat behind certain skyscrapers, so it could only mean one thing.

Still, to be on the backfoot would be an incident nobody would live down. If people find out, that is. Though it's all lighthearted conversation, and even if not real, they are dating. Tsubasa hated to be anything but the assertive one in the couple. She paused, her mind rushing to remember everything she had researched the night prior.

Then, an idea. She composed herself, easing the tone in her mind. "Well, I wore this especially for you, Kousaka-san. So... I'm glad it's getting the desired effect."

It was Honoka's turn to halt in her tracks, but for a different reason. Her words sounded familiar. She knows she had heard them or read them before.

No, she couldn't have possibly done the same as her. If she did, the ginger would be amazed. If not, then... She is still amazed. "Woah... You're getting into it huh, Tsubasa-san?" She cheered, looking back to the path ahead. "I'm excited now! Today's going to be fun!"

An airy laugh escaped her. Tsubasa rushed to follow behind the energetic girl. A second later, realization struck, and she stopped, watching the distance grow between them. "She... Doesn't know where to go." She couldn't help but laugh as she disappeared behind a corner.

* * *

Ten minutes later, they stood at a plaza affront a building, phones in their hands as they heaved tired breaths. Honoka was the first to speak up, bouncing her fists in front of her. "Why didn't you say anything?!"

"It was amusing to see you walk without direction." A glare elicited another laugh from the brunette. She raised her hands, conceding to soften the stare. "My bad."

Honoka huffed, placing her hands on her hips, remaining unconvinced. "You lead this time, so I don't get tricked again!"

"Again?" Tsubasa raised a brow, an amused sigh leaving through parted lips. "I wasn't particularly going out of my way to trick you, but..." A defiant huff silenced her. She decided on a different approach as she held out her hand. "Here. That way, we won't lose each other."

She glared at the hand, Tsubasa sweating beneath her scrutiny. She decided with a nod, and swiftly took her hand into her own, smiling. "Sure!" Heat sparked on her cheeks; the smile grew brighter. If Honoka knew what she was doing, then she'd be blessed with the satisfaction that she was doing well. The brunette was silent as she finally began to lead them to their first location of their pretend date: The mall.

"I thought we could look around. Window shop and grab something to eat later," Tsubasa supplemented as she led her through glass doors. It was a place Honoka had been in countless times before. But it felt new. She does not understand why, though.

"Sounds fun! Oh, a jewelry shop! Let's check it out!" Honoka tugged at their joined hands, now taking the lead. Tsubasa giggled but followed along. With an area of variety, she can trust the ginger to guide them to places she enjoyed, and since it was her idea to bring them here, then she can chalk it up as a successful date on her part. An entire flock of birds with one stone. A smile crept up her face.

They entered the store, laughter filled the air as they tried on the selection of earrings, rings, and necklaces. Ideas for costumes bounced around, conversation and light teasing. Smiles never left their faces. Honoka raised a pair of sapphire earrings. "Try these on! They'd suit you, Tsubasa-san!"

"Oh," She hummed, inspecting the four shimmering gems of crystal blue. Two were the earrings, the other two were Honoka's eyes. "Then, in that case..." Thoughtful eyes scanned the glass case, landing on a simple gold necklace. In its middle was an emerald pendant. She was sure Erena would cringe at the corniness of it all. "Try this on too, Kousaka-san."

She cooed in awe before nodding. They swapped jewelry, Honoka hooking the necklace around her neck while Tsubasa removed her current earrings to put the sapphires on. The ginger inspected herself in the mirror before looking back to the brunette. "Ooh, nice! It looks great on you, Tsubasa-san!"

Emerald eyes wandered to a mirror. She brushed her hair, admiring the shimmer of blue. Tsubasa looked back, nodding with a smile. "That necklace looks nice on you, as well."

"Maybe I should buy it, then," Honoka jested, giggling at her reflection as she moved around to see different angles of herself. A thought struck Tsubasa but kept it silent as they continued to try more jewelry on each other. When they left, she stole a few whispers to the jeweler.

"Excuse me, but can I put something on reserve?"

Few minutes fly and she was back at Honoka's side, smiling to herself. "Did you forget something, Tsubasa-san?" She shook her head, humming gleefully.

"Just my earrings. Would be a shame if I left them." She remarked with a laugh. Besides her, the ginger nodded in agreement, her attention immediately stolen to a stall nearby.

"Oh! Want to buy some?" A happy nod. She could use some food. As Honoka dragged her to the stall front, she was eager to continue their day.

"So, where were we, Kousaka-san?" Her name danced with a strange tickle on her tongue. Tsubasa met her eyes, and her smile.

"Oh, right! So, Kotori-chan asked me for help on writing a love letter to Umi-chan and-" She paused, taking their orders before continuing. They ate their fill, conversation in between bites. After, Tsubasa led her around, stopping at whatever caught their eye. By the end of the day, her feet ached, but she laughed. Beside her, Honoka was insistent they forget an incident where she nearly slipped on the way back a few minutes ago.

Today was a memory filled exclusively with the two of them. And they were moments of fresh air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> making this is fun
> 
> also, i apologize but the updates might be slow. between this and the other current work im updating rn, something's taken precedence and ill be prioritizing on that. i wont put these on hiatus, but updates might be irregular at the worst, slow at the best case
> 
> thanks for liking this, and if you want, you can read my other things. they're not tsubahono but i hope youll like them just the same
> 
> shineless sea is a crossover au with sunshine and sunless sea, so if you know one or two of those things, i recommend it too
> 
> but anyway, thanks, ill catch you when i can demons


	4. A Possible Change of Scenery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsubasa had been careless. Never again. An alternative is in order should they keep this up.

Tsubasa was checking social media before turning in for the night. Something she would do from time to time. Keeping up with current events of the school idol world is necessary, especially that A-RISE is the top school idol group of the country. She found a forum that specialized in recent idol news, scrolling through idly until a picture caught her eye.

It was somewhat blurry as if the picture was taken in a hurry, but she could make out the contents in the image. Of course, because she is the one in the picture, and beside her was Honoka. Luckily, the angle concealed the fact they were holding hands.

> dont you think this looks a lot like tsubasa kira from a-rise?

> and that girl with her... isnt that from the group that got in the prelims??

> what was their name, muse?

> you mean like the soap?

A frequented joke, but one Tsubasa still found herself laughing at. However, that smile soon vanished when she kept reading the thread.

> kousaka honoka, looks a lot like her

> could it be there's... something?

> wed find out more if OP actually took a clear photo

> i was in a HURRY

> i dont think theyd be close, since they are rivals after all

She thought more on that comment. They were supposed to be rivals, right? Eventually, only one will proceed to the finals of Love Live. Would spending more time together just breed unneeded sentiment? They thought of μ's as an equal rival, but if they win, would she be upset? Perhaps it would be better if they stop seeing each other?

The thought of not seeing Honoka brought a heavy pang of pain in her chest. She did not understand, but she knew that she wanted to see her. That bright, energetic smile that she saw every time they went out. Also, they just started their pretend dating. Putting an abrupt stop would be plain rude.

Stll, she still needed to handle this threat of being caught by the public eye. They got off lucky this time, but that cannot last forever. Tsubasa wracked through ideas, pacing around her room in silence.

"Ah!" A light bulb went off in her head and reached for her phone. It was now the middle of the week; a few days had passed since her first date with Honoka. It would be the ginger's turn to decide where to go next, but it would not be cheating if she suggested where to go. Besides, she noticed that Honoka was beginning to look like she was running out of ideas, anyway.

She dialed her number. It was easy to find it, given that it was the most recent number she had called. It dialed twice, then an energetic voice came out of the speaker. "Tsubasa-san! What's up?"

Stifling a giggle, she held the phone to her ear. "Good evening, Kousaka-san. Are you busy?" It was common courtesy to prolong the call if she was free, knowing that Honoka had a tendency to completely forget what she had been doing prior to answering the call. It almost gave her a panic attack when halfway through their conversation a distant voice on the other side of the line yelled for something burning in the kitchen.

"Kotori-chan and Umi-chan are in my room right now, but I'm heading outside to talk with you!" She didn't have to, Tsubasa knew that, but hearing that sent another heavy pang against her chest. Maybe she was not getting enough sleep?

"I won't keep you long then," she swallowed, rehearing the lines in her mind before speaking. "Listen, can I suggest where to go this weekend on our next date?"

"W-what?!" There was a moment of scratches and soft thuds from the speaker. Honoka had nearly dropped her phone in surprise. "What's this all of a sudden? Are you...Tricking me?!"

If they were together at this moment, Tsubasa was sure to deliver a silencing chop at her forehead. "No. Don't be silly, you idiot." She said flatly. Honoka huffed, but a quiet laughter broke out. It was nice to know that their conversations have become more lighthearted. She was worried initially that there would be a formal stiffness that made things awkward, but it was a pleasant surprise that they had hit it off so well on the first day.

"So, where do you want to go, Tsubasa-san?"

She hummed, thinking it over. Her ideas were scarce, but she knew of a general idea. "Hmm, can we take the train somewhere? Preferably away from Tokyo."

"Oooh, I haven't thought of that!" She remarked, excitedly. Honoka had always thought that their locations had to be exclusively set in their area. So, to think of a location away from Tokyo would be an idea she never could have thought of. And that excited her. "Let's do it! Anywhere specific in mind?"

"Nope!" Tsubasa grinned, that glimmer translated well in her voice.

"What?! Why not?" Honoka whined, stomping her foot down as she glared at her phone, hoping the girl on the other side of the line could see it.

"I said I would suggest, but I won't give you a straight answer. That would be too easy, Kousaka-san." Tsubasa explained with a sly laugh, ignoring her protests.

Honoka huffed, begrudgingly holding the phone back against her ear. "You're mean, Tsubasa-san."

A laugh. "I don't think I'm particularly evil." She said, purposefully unconvincing in her tone.

"You definitely are! I can't believe underneath that cute smile is someone who teases a lot!" Honoka whined lightheartedly, but she heard no response on the other side. Tsubasa was happy it was a call, because she was having difficulty in hiding the red blooming on her face.

"Honoka! Where did you run off to?" From inside the store, Umi's voice could be heard. Sharp steps were stepping closer, and Honoka brought the phone up to her mouth, cupping it with her other hand.

"I gotta go, I'll definitely have something planned by this weekend, don't worry!" She cheered through a rushed whisper, Tsubasa could hear the distant voice growing closer.

"I can't wait to see where you'll take us, Kousaka-san."

A hum of agreement, she could practically see her smile. "Good night, Tsubasa-"

"Honoka!" A sharp call of her name and frantic hands ended the call. Tsubasa blinked at her phone, watching it blink the duration of the call below her name. She was worried about the ginger's well-being, but there was another thing that took her thoughts.

She was cut off, but Honoka said her name. Without honorifics, without formalities. It was a silly thing to fuss over, but the degree of intimacy sent Tsubasa's thoughts into a flurry. Why? She can't quite understand why it made her so happy. Anju, Erena, and her own parents call her by just her name all the time, but it would not bring the same amount of happiness.

Another thought crossed her mind, one she whispered aloud. "What if... I call her by her first name?"

Tsubasa found her nearest pillow, and promptly yelled into it, admonishing herself for the idea. The way they are right now, it would feel forced, and lead to an awkward situation.

Yet, as the brunette laid in her bed, she thought of how nice it would be if they called each other by their name.

* * *

As she was being dragged back up the stairs, Umi had not ceased with her scolding. "Just what kept you out there for so long, Honoka?"

Honoka resigned herself to being pulled along, but it had not stopped her whining. "I was out there for five minutes, Umi-chan!"

"Nothing ever takes five minutes!" She snapped, sliding the door open and pulling Honoka inside. Kotori was sat at the table, a laptop in front of her.

"Ah, welcome back Honoka-chan? What kept you out so long?"

"Not you too, Kotori-chan!" The ginger despaired weakly, settling back on the table, Umi sitting down with a swift precision right beside her. "You two think too alike, sometimes..."

"R-really?" Kotori stuttered out a giggle, her eyes bouncing between crystal blue and honey gold. Umi cut between them, clearing her throat to speak.

"I am at least glad Kotori can keep herself focused. On the other hand, I am appalled that you're still running off somewhere getting completely distracted, Honoka."

"Geez, you're so mean, Umi-chan!" She yelled, sinking her chin against the table to sulk. Kotori reached a hand over, gently stroking her ginger hair.

"There there, Honoka-chan. Umi-chan's just like that because she loves you." Honoka huffed, and Umi made a likewise noise of disagreement.

"I think you are too lenient on her, Kotori..."

Honoka tuned out of the conversation, the warm hand stealing away her attention. She thought back to her conversation with Tsubasa, and her request to hold their next date somewhere away from Tokyo. It was strange, but she was excited. It also solved her worries of being accidentally caught by the other members of μ's.

"Hmm... I wonder where I should go?"

"Are you planning to escape your duties again, Honoka?"

Honoka sat up straight, shaking her head promptly. "N-Not at all!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the wait, i hope yall enjoy, i did
> 
> im having fun making these happy scenes, i dont think ill do anything angsty
> 
> yknow, yet


	5. Kira-san and the Marvels of Tokyo Station

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their pretend-relationship isn't the only train Tsubasa's not familiar with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaaaaaa im sorry it took a while
> 
> again, things, and a few other things as well. expect a few fics and oneshots, i had fun making them, most were from the spur of the moment at 2am
> 
> anyway you're here for the tsubahono, and here it be,

The weekend was here, and Tsubasa was starting to wonder if her suggesting had been a bad idea. She received Honoka's text just before she went to sleep, and the brunette could not help but wonder if whatever she had planned was made during the last minute.

She checked her phone, rereading the meeting place. This was the place, and with ten minutes to spare before their meeting time. Tsubasa looked up, marveling at the front of the train station. She had never used it much in her years. It was never clear to her if it was because of her family's wealth or their distrust towards public transport, but it resulted in her having little memories with the train.

It wasn't often that she thought about her high school life and compared it to those around her. She was blessed, she knew that much. Yet, when she sees girls like Honoka, she can't help but wonder what life is like across that side of the pond. A life where you hung out with friends after school. A life of adventure rather than being driven around in a limo.

That had been another thing. Tsubasa considered using the limo, but it was school property, only used for its students should they need it. Being A-RISE and a school idol for UTX, they got to request the limo's use frequently. If she started abusing her status as a member of A-RISE, not only would it arouse the suspicion of her group members, but it would be a shameful act if the school found out what she had been using it for.

Sneaking a limo out for dates with a student from another school, and a rival school idol to boot? Scandalous.

"Hey!" A voice rang out, then abruptly stopped. Tsubasa turned to find a familiar ginger run over to her, doing her best, but failing to draw the eyes of people around her. "Am I late, Tsubasa-san?" Honoka held a hand over her chest, calming her breath.

"Right on time, Kousaka-san." Tsubasa said with a smile, adjusting the sunglasses on her face. It was still in fashion, and it functioned as a disguise. In front of her, Honoka wore a frilly, but easygoing outfit, topped with a large-brimmed sunhat. Summer was drawing to a close, but it didn't mean they couldn't dress up for the climate. The sun was still shining its brightest overhead, and that was enough.

"Did you forget about what we discussed through text this week already?" Her words were more of a reminder than a reprimand. Honoka shook her head, giving a hard glare.

"I didn't! But I was so excited on where I wanted to take us, I couldn't help but call out to you just now."

"I'm not mad, but please be careful the next time." Tsubasa hummed, waving her hand in dismissal. Honoka huffed, her face brightening.

"I won't!" She grabbed Tsubasa's hand, leading her through the main doors of the station. "C'mon, the afternoon awaits!" The brunette watched the hand gripping hers, the reminder to refrain this type of physical connection on the tip of her lips. Her lips parted, nothing but a choked noise came out. Honoka looked over her shoulder, raising a brow at the shorter girl. "Is something wrong, Tsubasa-san?"

They had to be careful. _She_ had to be careful. For the sake of both their reputations, they should watch these types of actions in public. Tsubasa didn't know why, but the longer Honoka's hand held onto hers, the more she wanted to share their warmth.

She looked up, shaking her head softly. "Nothing. I'm excited on where you'll be taking us, Kousaka-san." Honoka grinned, patting her chest proudly.

"Leave it to me!"

Conversation filled the air between them as they walked through the train station. Tsubasa let her walk ahead. It was her turn to lead this date, after all. She chose not to disclose the fact that she possessed next to no knowledge about riding the Tokyo lines. To drive home that fact, they stopped in the middle, at a place with a large map of the train lines looming overhead. The brunette tried to make sense of it, but she only succeeded in making her dizzy.

"Hey! Is everything all right?" Honoka called out, jogging over to her. Tsubasa snapped out from the trance of colors, blinking at crystal blue eyes. "You're not feeling sick are you, Tsubasa-san?"

She shook her head, looking back up at the map. "I'm fine, it's just..."

"It's just?" Honoka repeated curiously. Heat began to crawl along Tsubasa's face, but she showed an attempt to hide it.

"How do uh, people understand all this?"

"Huh?" The ginger followed her gaze, staring up at the maze of lines and dots. For her, it had been second nature to understand the colorful maps. She grew up in Tokyo, after all. "You were raised in Tokyo too, right Tsubasa-san?"

"Y-yes?" Her response was an unsure stutter. She was born and raised here, but at the moment, Tsubasa felt like she gave the wrong answer.

"Well," Honoka hummed, pointing up. She followed one of the lines with a finger, tracing the air. "We'll be taking the Tokaido Line. That Sea green color there!" Her hand just pointed at the spaghetti of lines. Tsubasa staggered back, her head swimming. "Woah! Are you okay?"

"I'm f-fine... Just, overwhelmed." She laughed nervously, returning to her usual composure. Honoka stared for a moment, then it clicked. When it did, a smile grew on her face.

"Could it be... Tsubasa-san has never ridden a train before?" Her knowing question was met with a short yell. Tsubasa stared back, face red.

"I have! You're just saying things..." Her eyes darted away, rubbing the back of her neck. A giggle bubbled from the ginger, who stepped closer.

"It's fine, it's fine! There's a first time for everything, Tsubasa-san. I can hold your hand if you're worried you might get lost."

"Geez!" Tsubasa huffed, stomping away down the closest set of stairs. Honoka followed, calling after her. "I understand that mess of a map just fine!" She reached the bottom, finding a sign overhead. A letter with a number below it. None of it made sense. What's with the roman characters, anyway? Japanese lettering exists for a reason!

"Tsubasa-san!" She felt a hand grip her shoulder. Turning around, Honoka gave a reassuring smile, pointing back up the stairs. "The station we're looking for is back there."

"Oh... Well, I was just looking around!" Honoka snickered, devolving into a laughing fit in front of her. "What's so funny, Kousaka-san?" She grumbled out; her arms crossed.

The ginger shook her head, stifling her laughter. She gave Tsubasa a tug, walking back up the stairs. "Come on! We're going to miss the train if we don't hurry!" She cheered before rushing up, the brunette following behind her. Getting lost in the crowd was nearly impossible if your landmark was an energetic head of ginger hair. They arrived at a ticket office, paying for their tickets at a station Tsubasa didn't catch.

Their rushed feet stopped just as the train began to pull up in the station. The brunette watched it hum to a soft silence, the doors sliding open in unison to let the people off. It was a wonderous, fresh experience. Honoka led her inside. It was spacious, and there hadn't been too many boarding the same cart.

"Hey, Tsubasa-san?" Honoka gave a sideways glance. Tsubasa hummed, quirking an eyebrow. A bubble of laughter left her lips, leaning down to whisper. "Don't worry about me finding out about you and trains. It can be our secret."

"Just give it a rest already!"

* * *

Views of the Tokyo skyline flew past them. Tsubasa stared out the window in awe, watching the skyscrapers blur by. Beside her, Honoka watched the look of wonder on her face, smiling.

Half an hour had passed since the train departed from the station, and ten minutes after she finally eased the brunette from being angry at her. Honoka admitted that she might've taken the teasing too far, but beneath it all was a curiosity. For her, you either had to possess an extreme phobia or possess an extreme amount of wealth to not use the Tokyo train lines. Even their resident rich girl Maki knew how to ride a train. That, or maybe she was good in hiding it.

"Hey, Tsubasa-san?" The ginger broke the silence. Tsubasa looked away from the window to meet her stare. Peering above the sunglasses, forest green dazzled in amazement, and the sight alone nearly stopped her from asking. "Have you never ridden a train before until now?"

"...Does someone want more silent treatment?" The brunette responded flatly.

"I'm not teasing this time, I promise!" Honoka refuted, her hands clapped together in front of her. Tsubasa looked around, making sure nobody was within earshot. She removed her sunglasses, hanging it on the neck of her shirt.

"I just never did," She hummed, trying to think of a better reason, finding none. "I suppose my parents was never keen on using it. My father drove my mother and I during the holidays." Honoka listened in silence, nodding at the end of every sentence. A sigh left the brunette's lips, looking back out to the window.

"They're rarely home ever since I started high school, and A-RISE activities keep me busy to never see a need to travel out of Tokyo."

"But there's so much to see!" The ginger exclaimed, gesturing to the view outside. The cityscape diminished; trees replaces the urban sprawl. "You look so amazed just now. Just think of what else is out here!"

Tsubasa gulped, her eyes bouncing between the window and the girl beside her. She raised a good point. There is much more to see than Tokyo lights. She remembered her holidays with her family back when she was younger to be fun, too. Yet, her own words laid some truth. There was never a real reason to go out and see except for simply satisfying one's curiosity. For her, she was content in being where she was.

Yet, that belief seemed to vanish whenever Honoka was with her. "Well," Tsubasa shrugged, giving her a quick smile. "Now, I have a reason to explore out of Tokyo."

"Hm? And what's that, Tsubasa-san?" She blinked at Honoka's blinded answer, sighing exasperatedly.

"Kousaka-san, I will turn this train around and head back home."

"You can't turn trains around!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks to the peeps in the comments bringing up the limo so i could conceive the idea of tsubasa who doesnt know trains

**Author's Note:**

> oh boy a harder pairing dynamic to write about, let's see how this goes
> 
> let me know what you think in the comments below and ill catch you in the next one demons


End file.
